Pacers beat Chicago; Wizards clip Clippers

Chicago Bulls guard Marco Belinelli, left, and Indiana Pacers forward Sam Young get tied up in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Monday, Feb. 4, 2013. The Pacers defeated the Bulls 111-101. AP/Michael Conroy

INDIANAPOLIS — David West scored 29 points and Paul George had 21 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, leading Indiana past short-handed Chicago 111-101 on Monday night for a share of the Central Division lead.

The Pacers have won three straight and extended their home winning streak to 14, matching the team’s longest since 2002-03.

Marco Belinelli had a season-high 24 points and Nate Robinson had 19 to lead the Bulls, who lost for only the third time in nine games. The Bulls played again without starting guards Kirk Hinrich (elbow), Derrick Rose (knee) and center Joakim Noah (foot). The Bulls also survived a scare when Belinelli crashed to the floor clutching his right ankle late in the first quarter.

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Indiana seized control with a 15-4 run in the third quarter that made it 79-67 with 4:13 to go. Chicago never got closer than four the rest of the way.

With Griffin nursing a strained left hamstring and Paul still dealing with a bruised right kneecap, the Wizards pulled away with a 7-0 run late in the fourth quarter, spurred by a pair of big offensive rebounds by Nene.

Nene and Garrett Temple scored 15 points apiece, Emeka Okafor grabbed 14 rebounds, and John Wall had 13 points and eight assists for the Wizards, who entered the game tied with the Charlotte Bobcats for the worst record in the NBA.

Jamal Crawford scored 28 points, and DeAndre Jordan had a career-high 22 rebounds for the Clippers.

HEAT 99, BOBCATS 94

MIAMI — LeBron James scored 31 points and Chris Bosh added 23 to lead Miami to its 10th consecutive victory over Charlotte.

Dwyane Wade had 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Heat, who have won nine of their last 10 at home. James was 13 for 14 from the field, for a career-best 93 percent shooting. The Heat improved to 19-3 on their home floor.

Ramon Sessions scored 18 points for Charlotte, which lost its fourth in a row and 12th in the last 14. Ben Gordon had 16 points as six Bobcats players scored in double digits.

KNICKS 99, PISTONS 85

NEW YORK — Tyson Chandler tied a franchise record with his third straight 20-rebound game, Carmelo Anthony scored 27 points, and New York cruised to its fifth consecutive victory.

In a game that was decided early, Chandler played long enough to grab his 20th rebound midway through the fourth quarter. After grabbing 20 in victories on Friday and Saturday night, he became the first Knicks player to have 20 in three straight games since Hall of Famer Willis Reed in December 1969.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Russell Westbrook scored 24 points, Kevin Durant had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Oklahoma City avoided a third straight overtime game against Dallas.

The Mavericks had tied the first two meetings this season with 3-pointers at the very end, but there was no such drama the third time around.

Oklahoma City led by at least 20 throughout the second half, winning for the 10th time in 11 meetings between the teams since Dallas beat the Thunder in the 2011 Western Conference finals on its way to the NBA championship. That includes a four-game sweep of the Mavs in the first round of last year’s playoffs.

MINNEAPOLIS — LaMarcus Aldridge had 25 points and 13 rebounds to help Portland avoid a late collapse against Minnesota.

Wes Matthews scored 22 points and Damon Lillard added 21 points for the Blazers, but they each had five of the team’s season-high 28 turnovers. The Blazers never trailed in the game, but the Wolves had a chance to tie or win in the end. Ricky Rubio swung the ball to Dante Cunningham, whose 19-footer fell short.

Rubio had 10 of his career-high-tying 14 assists in the fourth quarter and finished with a season-high 15 points in a season-high 34 minutes. Cunningham scored a career-high 23 points on 11 for 17 shooting, and J.J. Barea added 17 points.

JAZZ 98, KINGS 91 OT

SALT LAKE CITY — Randy Foye had 20 points, including six in overtime, and Utah defeated Sacramento in overtime.

Paul Millsap added 14, with a key block, step-back jumper and rebound in the extra session for the Jazz, who used an 8-0 fourth-quarter run to take the lead with 2:40 left in regulation.

Utah had a chance to win it in regulation, but big man Al Jefferson shot an air ball 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Jason Thompson led the Kings with a season-high 23 points, and Tyreke Evans added 20 but had a key turnover in overtime.

Sacramento played the second half without leading scorer DeMarcus Cousins, who was ejected for arguing with officials at midcourt during the halftime break.

Cousins started 4 of 4 and finished 5 of 8 with 10 points and six rebounds.

76ERS 78, MAGIC 61

PHILADELPHIA — Spencer Hawes had 21 points and 14 rebounds and Jrue Holiday had 13 points and 14 assists to lead Philadelphia to its third straight win.

Nick Young had 15 points for the Sixers, who won three straight games for the first time since the final three games of November.